Snowmobilers encourage to take safey course to be ready

Some lucky Iowans got snowmobiles for Christmas but have yet to test them out — due to the lack of snow. David Downing, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ snowmobile program manager, says anxious snowmobilers might consider taking the snowmobile safety course while they’re waiting to gun the engine. Downing says anyone who’s between the ages of 12 and 17 has to have a valid safety certificate if they’re operating on public land or ice. It’s also a good idea for adults to take the course too as a refresher on regulations and safety. The half-day courses only cost three-dollars and Downing says full details are available on the website “www.iowadnr.com”. Depending on where you are in the state, there are six recreational safety officers as contacts in Iowa who can tell you the times and locations of the next course. Downing says Iowa has some 36-thousand registered snowmobiles as well as more than 75-hundred miles of groomed and designated snowmobiling trails.